Silica-decorated Ni–Zn alloy as a highly active and selective catalyst for acetylene semihydrogenation

Abstract

A silica-decoration methodology was applied to a Ni–Zn alloy for developing active and selective acetylene semihydrogenation. Ni–Zn alloy nanoparticles on SiO₂ were further decorated by additional silica, which significantly increased the acetylene conversion (15–97%) without lowering the ethylene selectivity (ca. 80%) at 200 °C.